Masaji Kato trial
by Semiramis-Audron
Summary: mostly a trial about Kato becoming the way he is in SH: C but it's readable :P
1. Call for the arms

Disclaimer: This fanfiction is based upon Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts: Covenant. The plot, though, mostly belongs to me, as do the original characters that appear. I do not want this story copied/reproduced/reposted anywhere without my permission.

You don't want to find your story somewhere else, too.**Statement: Yes I do know very well that some stuff I might probably use in here is not existing in the upcoming 20th century but who cares! Let me have my fun for hell's sake!**

**Note: **

**Well it is pretty hard for me to write a fanfic about a guy who seems to change his name as often as others their underwear (hyperbole) ° Explanation? Maybe it's just this way because the German translators messed up something but: **

**-Shadow Hearts Part one: We're looking into the library (NPC) and find Sergeant SEIJI Kato...**

**-Shadow Hearts Part one: Sidequest: Kawashima's death- After he confesses his love (actually a woooooonderfull scene... beside of her death maybe and the fact that he's banging his head against a wall... what turns out to be cute somehow... ° back to topic) well... Kato: (salutes) "Lt. Colonel, I… I love you! I would follow you down whatever path you decide to take in life! I, MASARU Kato, will not leave anything to regret!"...and finally:**

**-Shadow Hearts: Covenant- When we meet him in South Hampton Inn: "Special agent MASAJI Kato. Japanese imperial navy." And of course this –all the time- "MASTER" but that doesn't count for real...**

**So let's see what we have... Seiji, Masaru, Masaji... perhaps the second was just a programming mistake and then they decided… "Hey let's make a blend of one and two: Sei- ji & Masa –ru Masa-ji…" But hey those are just my thoughts about it… And actually my Japanese goes not much far... °°° So Masaru is probably not a name but somewhat else…**

**Well up to here I actually just wanted to explain why I made him have two forenames… Seiji, the normal one he is called by all the people surrounding him and Masaji (second forename)… the name he only allows his good friends to call him, starting that habit when Yoshiko kept on calling him Masaji and flouted with -?-. Hey do you think I'll spoiler my own story?**

o°°o:oOo:o°°o

"Good Morning, honey. Breakfast's ready."

"Darling, just five minutes... You know I had a night shift..." The man draws the blanket over his head.

"But then I can't show you the big surprise!" The young bright brunette snuggles up to her husband.

"I'd prefer sleeping..." She pokes him in the back and he turns round to her.

"Oh you little...!" He grasps her, kissing her on the forehead. She giggles and falls upon him.

"Daaaaddy! The coffee's getting cold... huh? What are you doing?" A little black haired boy not older than five dashes into the bedroom and finally jumps onto his father's belly.

"Ow... err... pillow fighting?... Now let's have breakfast!" The three of them get up; the boy is dragging on his father's pj trousers.

"Hey didn't mommy wanted to show you something?" The tall man nods and looks to his pretty wife. She fetches a white tube out of her pocket.

"It's pink!" He regards her, then the tube and back to her.

"And that means?" She embraces him wildly and whispers into his ear.

"In the instructions it says pink means JACKPOT!" He glances at her, a smile comes onto his lips.

"Hey! What are you talking 'bout? I wanna know!" The parents look down to their nosy son, the black haired man lifts his wife from the ground and turns around with her in his arms.

"You're going to have a little brother or sis---ah... Whew honey let me down, I'm getting woozy..." He sets her down carefully and skims over her soft hair.

"You're the best thing that could've happen to me... I love you Yoshiko!"... and then...

"AAAHhh!" He sits upright in the darkness, still trembling and breathing irregularly. He's back in the grey, desperate reality, like always. In his muggy apartment, alone in his bed, with tears in his eyes... He sighs. He hates that dream. Haunting him, with the undeniable fact that he missed the chance to make it real.

Do you know the moment when you feel that your life will not improve and especially not get happy again...

Do you know the moment when so many people take the razor blade, the cord, the pills or the gun and put an end to it...

Do you know the moment when the whole world seems to be a murky pit of gloom and all you want to do is scream, scream until your lungs shred and your heart explodes within your chest and your mind caves in...

He has that moment, right now... like always... He's not terminating it; he's not screaming... he's getting up and under the icy shower, like always. A sip of coffee, a whiff of a cigarette and he's going to work, like always... He's trying to not really live, living means pondering and this irrevocable walks along with remembering... and he can't bear the pain. But sometimes, when his body surrenders to the exhaustion because he hasn't slept for days he can't delay the memories to break through.

°oOo°

"Twenty more!"

"Oh please, no!"

"C'mon don't be such a sissy!"

"I'm shattered! Please let me stop Ma'am!"

"Now listen closely! You little geologist maybe you're a bit older than me! But if you want to be a good navy soldier, you have to sweat: blood, tears and water!"

"... '..." The kneeling woman stands up now, her ground shakes... and the young man, she sat on while he had to do press-ups, collapses under her.

"Whoa!... Could... could you please... get of from me...?" The bright brunette shrugs and steps down from the naked back.

"Thanks... argh... that was heavy..." He sits up rubbing his arms. She crosses hers in front of her chest.

"Do you want to express with this that I am overweight!" Although she sounds angry her eyes say something else. He fascinated stares onto his shoes and blushing stammers.

"Nah... that's not what... err... I just... I...GOSH! Umm... you're a gorgeous woman!" She laughs, happy and friendly.

"Ingratiating, huh? Makes 50 laps around the court!" He coughs unbelieving but resigns complaining and starts running. While she shouts at him.

"And hey! Get that black hair strands, dangling around before your face combed back! Or I'll have to cut them off, Masaji!" He just groans quietly.

"Yes, Yoshiko!" Half a second later he feels a stone crashing into his back.

"What did you say!" She's fooling around with him and strangely enough... he enjoys it. Both does not happen very often.

"Yes, Sir, Lieutenant Colonel Kawashima- Sama!" He grins and she laughs again, with that wonderful genial voice that sends shivers of warmth down his spine.

oO°Oo

"Major Oikawa, where is..."

"Oh Colonel Fukushima... He's in the gym. You meant Sergeant..."

"Yes, I have to talk to him... The gym? Again? He's there very often." The two men make their way to the large building.

"So Kenji, what do you think... why is he doing this?" Obviously the men have to be good friends, neglecting the formality.

"Dunno... Maybe he tries to attract even more women than yet anyhow. I mean, I have problems with finding even one and he shoves the twenty letters lying down on his desk every week, directly into the wastepaper basket." The man unbelieving raises his hands to the sky as if he wanted to accuse God's unfairness.

"Don't be stupid, you know he misses that woman, that's why! But I still don't understand him. He comes to work and immediately afterwards comes here." They stand before a pane of glass now, looking into a room with lots of men inside, most of them training kick-boxing, martial arts, kendo and so on.

"You know Takashi, that woman... what was her name? Well, you know, she really pushed him in the first year." They walk around a corner to look inside another part of the room.

"Right... I saw them several times on the court. Couldn't believe it when I was told she was sitting upon him when he made press-ups... until I saw it with my own eyes." Here rather less men train, three are sitting on a bank, talking, one using the expander.

"If you think that's strange... wait what I can tell you! Ten month after you allocated him to her unit, she came to me and asked me a favour. Well you know me! Of course I said yes, thinking of spoiled stuff! So the next day after work, she took me to the court... Well I was a bit disenchanted, seeing him waiting there for us. Actually he seemed not to know what would happen and looked at me really surprised." The two men walk some steps further to a little wooden bank and sit down, still watching the training.

"And? Go on! What did happen?" Major Oikawa scratches the back of his head and continues.

"She instructed him to lay down, so he did after unclothing his shirt... and then she told me to step upon his back. Of course I was a bit amazed, even more about the fact, that I actually did it!" He shakes his head in disbelieve.

"And she? What did she do?" The Colonel is slowly getting curious.

"You won't believe me... she stepped upon him, too. And then she just said: The same procedure as every day! And told me I should try to stand still. He mentioned somewhat of that he wouldn't think he could do it with two. Actually he quaked but he got us up like a mule." Again he shakes his head, that woman had her own mind!

"This is unbelieving! What a strength!" But Oikawa warns of, he has not yet finished.

"Well I haven't told you the best thing... He made ten press-ups with us upon his naked back and then she said to him: Now let's have a trial on what we've practised yesterday! So he gulped and started complaining. He growled at her that it would be inhuman and she would be an evil slave-driver... So I really don't understand why he regardless did it, then. I mean he slightly leaned aside and carefully laid one arm onto his back! She made him clasp her ankle for hold... and then... I mean he really started press-ups with two people on his back and only one arm to prop!" The men stare at a black haired guy in a rather solitary corner of this training room, Oikawa wants to add something.

"Well actually he really had some problems with lifting us there and I thought: O my God! He'll crack in with the next breath. And she just said: You're doing fairly well. And then I felt that something was pulling through his body, like an enormous tug... Call me superstitious, but I think there was some sort of sorcery... And you know what? After that he made 50 easily! I don't get it!" They still regard the man lying on a bank and heaving a barbell with weights at each side, that are almost twice the size of his chest.

"Oh that was before he didn't came to work for two days, right? Now it's clear to me why she didn't wanted me to bounce him for absence!... Ahem... if you consider this... perhaps he's wearing himself down because he unaware associates it with her... But actually that would be weird, don't you think Major?" Oikawa nods and noticed that the man seems to take a break from his training. They go in to him.

"Sergeant, I have to speak with you!" The man looks at the Colonel and skims back his sweaty black hair.

"I'm training Colonel Fukushima... and after that I want to take a nice, warm bath. Sorry, no free place in my schedule!" He knows perfectly well why Fukushima wants to see him... and he was dodging successfully since several weeks.

"Well, either I'll encounter you tomorrow fifteen hundred in my office... or I'll have to dismiss you from service! Do you understand?" Somehow it upsets the Colonel that this man seems to have lost all respect for his superiors. But the tall, black haired man looks down and nods submissive.

"Well, I'm hopeful to see you!" The Major and the Colonel leave, while the man sits down and sighs pensive.

Maybe he can just walk into that office and say: Thank you, but NO thank you! I don't want to...

And an insidious little voice inside his head whispers: Ohhff co-ourse! With a most unutterable sarcastic intonation...

o-

It's half past two p.m. and Colonel Fukushima opens the door to his office.

"Oh! How long did you wait?" The young black haired man standing in front of the Colonel's desk is not answering.

"Well... Why don't you sit down?" The black haired stands on while the Colonel relaxes in his armchair.

"I'd prefer standing, if you don't mind!" His tune is rather aloof, with a faked smile on his lips.

"As you wish... Well, I assume you know why you are here!" The young man shakes his head but the sudden and nervous blink says something else.

"I'm sorry, Sir. But I do not know that." The Colonel raises an eyebrow than shoves a black casket from his side of the desk nearer to the man.

"Sergeant Seiji M. Kato. This is the reason why I ordered you here!" Although the Sergeant is sure about the casket's content he opens it. Arranged on black satin is a golden navy ribbon, a distinctive symbol of honour.

"No." Emotionless he closes the casket and puts it back on the desk in front of the Colonel.

"What do you mean... No? This is not your decision!" Fukushima gets up from his chair, though he is still somewhat smaller than the other man.

"I mean… I will not take a position Lt. Colonel Kawashima had to die for!" He decides to go straight to the point but changes to a rather curse less expression than he actually had in mind.

"I thought I had warned you about voicing that name again! Beside… She did not even remember you when you where ordered into her division again! As I said this is not your decision. It is a direct order from Minister Ishimura!" The Sergeant listens up there is some sort of dark storm cloud rising up behind his eyes.

"Minister Kantaro Ishimura? Why is he interested in a little geologist merely thus far from court martial?" He gestures the gap with his hands and suspicion builds up inside him.

"I'm not quite sure about this, the Minister is not exposing his intentions. Probably because of your knowledge of the forbidden magic that these adepts used in Shanghai." A smile shortly flashes over Sergeant Kato's lips.

He remembers his research for that very well... Ignoring his order to return to Tokyo, so he could remain in the destroyed Shanghai... All he did was hanging around her all the time, running errands. Well, that was what she said actually...

"Fine if there's no other way, I think I'll have to elucidate something... You do remember that the Minister's Investigation Committee was after both of you?" The black haired nods silent, he had suspected Ishimura to be blameable for this, all along.

"To say the truth... the only reason they didn't blow up your brain, too, was that it had been the Ministers strict order. Kawashima was of no use for him anymore and if you disobey you will be that neither!" Kato isn't surprised by this news, for real but slowly there raises a black little desire up inside his soul, the desire for... retribution... He had stifled it for a long time now, but this could be his chance...

"...I see... Considering this..." He's still doubtful, but his yearning for revenge overthrows his fears. He takes the black casket and salutes already having his own goals in mind.

"I knew you would find to common sense, Sergeant... Or should I say Lt. Colonel Kato?" Major Fukushima smiles pleasing and offers his hand to the young man opposite of him. He accepts the gesture and returns a faked smile once more.

o-

In two days he has to leave the HQ in Shanghai for meeting Minister Ishimura at the capital. He's not looking forward to it but as there's no alternative for him, he's getting his stuff together. He will not take much with him... too many memories to deal with.

Coming to the last drawer of his closet he sighs... There it is. He nearly had forgotten it or rather substituted it... Actually he was supposed to either burn or return it, he did neither in keeping it hidden in the rearmost corner of his apartment...

His old uniform... the one he wore the day when...

Carefully he carries it out of the closet and lays it onto the bed. He takes a deep breath and unfolds the khaki shirt. It's still there meanwhile encrusted to light black spots. The blood she coughed out, dying in his arms.

He always felt some sort of twisted storing this rather grievous memento...

The headquarter of the Japanese Army in Shanghai

They were in the room upstairs...

"Kato." She said not really looking at him.

"Yes?"

"You puzzle me. Ignoring your order to return to Tokyo, so you can remain in this type of place…" He couldn't look into her eyes neither.

"N, no… I am interested in the forbidden magic that the adept, Dehuai, freed… I've been doing some research…" How he wished that moment she would not notice him blushing slightly.

"Research? All you do is hang around me all the time, running errands." He bit onto his tongue, did he really suggested her to be so naive?

"N-no, I just…uh…" He felt sweat drops appearing on his forehead.

"Hm… You're protecting me, right? I appreciate it." Suketani asked him to do so, but he would have done it anyway. And this was another thing he didn't wanted her to make out.

"Huh!" He twitched surprised by her knowledge.

"Now that Shanghai is under our control… I'm just a loud, whimsical hound dog to the higher-ups. A replacement dog will be sent…" At this time he couldn't understand why she was saying things like that.

"Commander… what are you talking about! You're still a hero of the Japanese people!" He did not grasp that the Japanese people weren't equivalent with the Japanese army.

"Kato." She looked out of the window down the busy streets.

"Y… yes?" Why did he always had to feel so bashful in her proximity?

"I wonder what Yuri and the others are doing now…" He did not forget Yuri, someone who could be a true friend to him.

"Yes. They have been missing ever since the Shanghai Earthquake. I haven't heard anything more since." One of two things bothering him actually was Yuri's whereabouts.

"I'm sure they're travelling far, holding firmly to their convictions. No one to answer to… Just following their instincts… Somewhere deep inside, I envy them." She wasn't the only one, though he wasn't sure enough to pronounce it at this juncture.

"Lieutenant Colonel!" And thoughts like these wouldn't help them with the Investigation Committee.

"Wh-why are you shouting all of a sudden, Sergeant?" She seemed to be slightly stunned by him gaining some self-confidence.

"Even you could do it, Lt. Colonel! Anyone can do it! As long as they truly desire it! There are no rules in life! Only the ones you make yourself! I want to live a life of no regrets! It may be difficult, but only you can change the way you live your life!" He wanted to believe in his own words and took all his courage together.

"Kato…" Her voice was pleasing and warm giving him strength and kicking his rational thinking into the bucket. He saluted not really sure why he did it.

"Lt. Colonel, I… I love you! I would follow you down whatever path you decide to take in life! I, Masaru Kato, will not leave anything to regret!"

He heard himself speaking and got shocked by himself while realising what he said. Did he actually really said that right now? To her? His deepest sentiments? Right here? Right now? To HER!

"…" And she looking at him in a very perplexed way did not make him feel more comfortable.

"AAAAHH!" More sweating of embarrassment and blood flushed into his cheeks like boiling pitch. He felt so silly there, somehow head-over-heels in love, so childish...

"What am I saying!" Childish enough to find the only solution in banging his head repeatedly against the nearest wall.

"Yes… I think you're right." She walked over to him seemly worried about him hurting himself severely.

Suddenly two soldiers entered the room. Immediately Kato stopped head banging.

"Wh-what? Knock before you enter!" He didn't like those guys to interrupt him with her.

"Lt. Colonel Kawashima! We've received an urgent wire from Tokyo! Please come to HQ immediately!" Kato and Kawashima had been surprised. What would they want from her?

"A wire from Tokyo? Is it from my father? Okay. Let's go." She looked at him once more and made him have a strange feeling.

"Colonel…" As if he shouldn't let her go... If he just hadn't! Knowing what he knew merely five minutes later.

"It's okay. I'll be right back. Then we can finish this conversation." She pleasing smiled at him; there had been a sting inside him like a hazardous foreboding when she turned to the soldiers.

"Why are you shaking? Well, let's go." She went out with them leaving him alone in this room with a terrible weight on his heart as if she had left forever... He sighed and then...

BAMM BAMM´´ Two shots rang out followed by a hollow fall. He startled and ran out of the room.

One soldier was already death the other one stood over Kawashima who was laying face down on the main floor. He couldn't believe his eyes and hastened down from the second floor nearly stumbling by the shock.

He knocked the soldier out of his way easily and kneeled down to her. He rolled her over... she had been shot. He was panicked by her bleeding body.

"Lieutenant Colonel! Hang on! Lieutenant Colonel!" He couldn't figure what to do, his heart beating like hell in his chest.

"Hahhh… It appears my father has deserted me…" She trembled and her voice was strangely muted.

"We'll get you help right away! Hang on!" He wasn't quite grasping the situation; panic blinding his mind... like a little child doesn't understand what death means.

"I guess I… had it coming… The last gear… fitting…" Her breath went irregular and jerkily, she coughed blood and her lids began to close.

"Lieutenant Colonel! Hang in there!" He frantic shook her to keep her conscious while he already felt his eyes filling with tears...

"Kato… thanks… for… everything…" Blood dripped from her lips onto his shirt as she slumped over in his arms. He pulled her close...

"AAAAAHH! WHY!" His scream like the one of a deadly wounded animal... So full of despair and grief and agony...

back in his apartment

Slowly he opens his eyes and his fingertips skim over the encrusted spots. He sighs deeply as the calm crimson rays of the sunset draw shadowy patterns onto the dark wooden floor.

A slight sparkle irritates him in the corner of his sight, the moment he regards the clouds passing outside the murky window. He looks down onto the shirt again perceiving thin fibres shining like amber... no like gold... in the velvety light.

He hadn't noticed them before but now they nearly bring him to tears for he remembers everything. The colour, the shine at morning, day and night, and the scent. So calming, gentle jasmine and resolute rose... but right... her hair had the dye of amber.

He was so lucky that one afternoon when he had to guard the hangar. It should have been a penalty for skiving three days; but when she strolled by making fun of his stiffness and soreness, he couldn't avoid to smile. She had sat down next to him, starting to chat a bit and the hours just flew away. It went evening and he saw her hair shining like gold, it went night and it seemed to be as black as ebony. Slowly she became tired and fell asleep finally; her head leaned against his shoulder, breathing calmly. He smelled her hair that night and would never forget the fragrance. He didn't dare to move worried he could arouse her but knowing this hours of darkness were worth next day's numbness of his nape a thousand times.

Her blood and her hair, he misses her so much... He doesn't know why, but he changes his decision to throw it away. He will take it to the capital with his other stuff and store it away once more. Probably to remind himself that everything is transitory especially love, but misery... yes misery goes on and on...

**-o- End of the first chapter **

to be continued -

Author's note: I may have to add here that the memory of Kawashima's death is actually from the Shadow Hearts script, with my own ideas to enlarge the acting and reasons of why they are saying what they are saying. The other memories are completely born by my own idiocy.

And I want to thank all the nice people who think Kato to be too unimportant to write a whole fanfic about him, so I was able to be the first!

Be free to condemn me for having Kato acting and thinking in this way, in your reviews. If you like, tell me your ideas to improve this fanfic.


	2. On the way back home

Chapter two

Note: Now you can review this chapter.

Yes, yes, yes I know damn well that jeans are first invented around 1950 and I'm not sure if you would get peanuts or sparkling mineral water in a Japanese bar in the upcoming 20th century... But I told you! This is called artistic freedom!

He leaves the C-area of the Shanghai HQ for the harbour when it's still night out there. The first light of dawn submerges at the horizon as the ship casts off. The ocean is calm a gentle salty breeze blows from southeast. It would take around five days if the weather stayed that way and they had no problems with the ship.

The soft swaying swell calms him, he's tired mental and physical. As he walks along the bow and watches the receding Shanghai in the morning sun he feels even more hollow and exhausted. He returns to his cabin and lays down on the bed staring at the ceiling. Slowly he falls asleep.

Outside the porthole everything is dark, still somehow tired he opens his eyes. He shots a glance out into the darkness; maybe they're in a storm, or... He looks at his watch.

"How long did I...?" Disbelieving he shakes his head, it's nine o' clock in the evening, obviously he really had needed some sleep.

But it's not only the hour, there are indeed alarming black storm clouds covering the sky. He walks out again across the slippery deck, the wind whipping into his face and the rain drenching his clothes. But the cold water somehow revives his animus, though the whole ship reminds him at something again... --- …You're a funny fellow, aren't you? ---

"At this times... I probably was..." He says looking up into the clouds squinting as the raindrops hit his retina. This boat is quite more comfortable than the smuggler's boat but even that rotten, cursed little nutshell had been a paradise with her. And there is someone else he remembers, someone beloved, too...

"I wonder how Alice and Yuri are doing? He had always been stronger than me... In my situation he would have saved his love..." He looks onto the greyish water with its white lathery crowns, still blaming himself for what had happened... He knows that life goes on, that the world will not stop simply because one or two people went by board.

It's just that he can't find a motivation to carry on. Everything seems to be so meaningless especially Ishimura's efforts to achieve the invasion of the mainland. Oh yes, he knows about the Minister's little plan... She gave him the hints on the smuggler boat and it wasn't very difficult to catch the rest of it.

Suddenly he sneezes, he hadn't noticed how cold it is there actually with the water and the whistling wind. And he's soaked to the bone, so slowly he begins to shiver. Someone calls for him.

"Lt. Colonel Kato? Shouldn't... Shouldn't you come in? You're going to catch your death of cold..."

He turns round to the young rookie and nods. As he enters the meeting-room a towel is given to him by the same young rookie with an obeying look.

"Thanks. What's your name, recruit?" Kato towels his face and hair but as he's totally drenched it doesn't improve his condition very much.

"Usagi Ueda hand-to-hand combatant in training, Sir!" The young soldier salutes while Kato is slightly astonished.

"Oh... You're a... woman, I didn't notice. Your hair's very short." She's not angered, she just grins at him disregarding for a short moment that she's his subordinate.

"The cause explained the reason. I wanna be treated like all the others, no matter that I'm a woman, Sir!" Again she salutes and he nods accepting her request very easily, he wouldn't accept her in the army if she'd wanted to be treated softer because of her gender.

"Ok, then get your ass into your cabin and polish your boots! Never seen such filth!" He shouts at her. She startles for a second but salutes then and tears off.

"YES, SIR, LT. COLONEL KATO!" He smiles; these people here have no idea of what military is really like. They will find out when they're having to kill their first human...

He decides to change his clothes before he's getting a real cold and returns to his cabin. When he's wearing some dry stuff, he catches a book of ten, he bought in one of the most noxious quarters of Shanghai and in one of the most leading special shops for scientific literature... He begins to read. They are all of different special fields but the main topic is the same, death and resuscitation.

He had started with the ones about magic, but after the third he had to recognize that none of the described rituals would really work, even if one believed in magic like in no other thing. But in all these books he found hints about something interesting. They all corresponded in one opinion, that there had been a mysterious document written in which the most powerful spells were sealed. It would be the only thing of which an actual effort in a ritual was described. It was called the émigré-manuscript. But the books didn't say a word about its whereabouts.

So he had put that away after the third book and skipped to the scientific corner. These books had been recently released, about genetics, damn expensive and fairly hard to get. As there were a lot of scientific terms he had his dictionary ready all the time, but when he at last understood the basics the rest went actually easier.

There were some speculations about genetics-technology, they described the theoretical method but as far as he read until now, those techniques were still in their beginnings. And there had not even been an experiment with animals, so this was no real chance either. But as he still has two books to read he keeps on hoping, though he's pretty sure that he can never afford the required equipment even if he'd knew were to buy it.

So he keeps on reading because it is ten p.m. he's not tired in the slightest way anymore and he has nothing better to do...

o-

"Hey Sergeant Kato?" The sun is beaming over the court and desiccating the yellow grass.

"Err... Yes Lt. Colonel?" He stands still now hands at his aching side.

"Hey! Did I tell you to stop? Run on!" He sighs and continues, though kind of hobbling.

"Actually Kato... How old are you?" She's squatting on a wooden bank watching him running.

"It's in... my file... Why d' you want to... know that...?"He shouts from the other side of the court to her.

"Well, I considered inviting you on a drink, but then I thought infants are not allowed to drink alcohol!" She shrugs as he stumbles and nearly hits the dust.

"I... I'm twenty-one Lt. Colonel! I'm an adult!" He shouts back trying to use his deep voice to express it.

"Certainly, but the thing is... I'm just twenty years old, so still only allowed to enter a bar in company of an adult." She looks at him curiously as he runs over to her.

"Twenty years? And already a Lieutenant Colonel? Whom did you have to sleep with to get that job? Oh and hey, does he like males to?" He grins at her, she jumps down from the bank and CLAP it echoes over the whole court.

"Ow! I did deserve it, didn't I?" He rubs his red cheek on which the shape of her hand is to be seen clearly.

"You're sure that you are twenty-one? You seem to be still in puberty!" He sits down in the grass now, recovering from the chasing.

"Touché! So, why did you tell me that, Lt. Colonel?" He looks up to her, rather confused.

"I want you to invite me into a bar, Sergeant, so I can drink! Isn't that obvious!" He shakes his head and gets up.

"No it isn't... why do you want to drink?" She sighs annoyed, as if it would be clear.

"I... don't know, I just want to try it. C'mon Kato! I don't ask you to, that's an order!" He laughs at her with a total lack of respect.

"And if I'll disobey? What are you going to do? Get me to court martial?" He smiles as she does but there's something strange in her eyes.

"No of course not... But I'll make a damn hell out of your life!" The way she says it and the way she's looking at him, bring him to the decision that he indeed should take her serious.

"Ok... but only one drink and we're gone!" She nods happily and he sighs.

"Oh and Kato, could you wear something less military? Like jeans for example?" He looks at her somehow puzzled by this request.

"Err... hum... ok... I'll try to find something... What time shall I fetch you up Lt. Colonel Kawashima?"

"Whahahaha! How are you looking, Kato?" He's standing there waiting for her to get her coat and kicking pebbles with his shoes.

"Dunno what you mean, Lt. Colonel Kawashima..." He blushing looks down, he feels quite ridiculous.

"Those jeans aren't they... well... a bit too tight?" Not that she'd have a problem with it actually, it just looks unhealthy.

"It's the only pair I had!" He snarls at her. At least they're big enough to have him stick his hands into his pockets.

"Well, I like your black shirt though and the leather coat."

several hours later that evening-

"Hey Kaddo..."Both are sitting at the bar counter, a bowl of peanuts between them. He sighs.

"Sixty-three. Yes Lt. Colonel?" She stares at him with her big wonderful eyes, making him feel quite uncomfortable.

"Kaddo... why aren't ya drinkin somethin?" Bored he tries to flick a peanut into an ashtray.

"Sixty-four. Well at least someone has to be sober enough to bring you home." She's getting angry and pokes him into the side.

"Are ya sayin I'm screwed or what Kaddo?" He has to grab her as she nearly fell from her footstool.

"Sixty-five. Why! Yes I suppose I am!" In his opinion he should be the one to be pissed off, she's already far beyond one glass, if someone should find out he'll be in big problems.

"Hey, Kaddo! What d'hell are ya countin all da time?" He sighs and lets a peanut rotate on the counter.

"Sixty-six. I'm counting how often you pronounced my name wrong. But it's actually astonishing that you've said it about sixty times in the last..."He looks at his watch. "In the last two hours."

"Don't flatter on it! Hey Kaddo... what's ya name?" She pushes her footstool closer to him.

"Huh? Kaddo… I mean Kato! Gosh! Sixty-eight... You're so infuriating!" He lets a peanut crack between his molars.

"Wha? No I mean, what's ya first name?" He looks at her, she's always again surprising him.

"Err... Seiji... Why d' you want to know it?" She giggles and spins around on the footstool, veering dangerously.

"Thaaaaaaaat's stupid! What a batty name! Dun y' have another?" He's slightly sulky and this time lets her fall onto the floor, as if he hadn't noticed.

"Sorry, but that's my name, Lt. Colonel Kawashima!" With some problems she climbs up onto her footstool again.

"Ouch! C'mon Kaddo! Dun y' have a second forename or somewhat? Ah! C'mon tell me! Even ifts a gal's name!" She tries to lay an arm around his shoulder; he can smell the alcohol in her breath, and pangs of conscience creep up inside him.

"... Masaji... Sixty-nine. "Her eyes sparkle in pleasure, it makes him feel even more bad. How could he give into this daft idea!

"Uhhhh that's lovely! Know what? From nowon I call ya Masaji! Not that nuts Seamy-Gee!" She pokes him into his side again, but this time much more friendly.

"It's Seiji! Could you please stop acting so inane! May I remember you? You are a Lieutenant Colonel, I'm a little Sergeant!" She shrugs; obviously she has a lot of fun this evening.

"Hey Seamy-Gee!" She is celebrating on the fact that he's annoyed by that moniker.

"What!" He grinds his teeth, his voice with an obviously bugged undertone.

"Would ya like to..." She slips closer to him.

"I'm listening." He takes a swig of his mineral water.

"Would ya like to... touch my tits?" He nearly chokes by coughing the water out.

"W...koff What! Ok! That's enough! koff!" He bangs his glass onto the counter and jumps up.

"You're totally drunk! I'll get you to the barrack right now!" He grabs her arm and drags her out of the bar.

She falls onto her bed like a stone; he assures himself that she's asleep... For a diminutive moment he hesitates... She actually invited him to do it... Didn't she? So why not seize the opportunity?...

Two minutes later he finds himself under an ice cold shower!

A soldier dashes into the lobby obviously he has some important news, or he wouldn't already shout from the door.

"Lt. Colonel Kawashima! Lt. Colonel Kawashima! We have an urgent wire from Minister Ishimura!" He stops barely two steps before crashing into her but keeps on shouting.

"He has an agreement with your father, I mean..." She grabs the paper from him with an annoyed look.

"Why do you have to shout that way, Officer Murata!" She massages her temples with her right hand while reading the wire.

"Can I go, Lt. Colonel Kawashima or do you want to answer it immediately?" Murata has to repeat his sentence for she hadn't listened to him.

"What? Can't you be a bit quieter? I'm standing directly in front of you!" The officer is confused; actually his volume appears normal to him.

"You can go! I have to think about it..." Murata runs out of the lobby, Kawashima is wondering whether his soles are made of iron. As he leaves the lobby Officer Murata passes a black haired sergeant leaning against the doorframe, and watching Kawashima with his hands in his pockets.

Now Kato pushes himself away from the wood and slowly strolls towards the Lt. Colonel.

"Terrible little bastards, these hangovers, aren't they?" He whispers smirking at her. She angrily stares at him.

"Don't harp upon it!" But her tune becomes gentler instantly as she knows he indeed has a cause to rebuke her.

"Thanks for whispering, though... And for taking care of me... Maybe I was a bit to boisterous." He smiling nods. He still tries to substitute that he had to keep her upright while she was puking onto his shoes...

"Well just a slight bit." She raises an eyebrow, looking up to him.

"I may have a hangover, but I have no blackouts, Seamy-Gee!" He winces for he hoped she'd have forgotten that terrible nickname.

"Between us two, Masaji... I appreciate that you in fact did not exploit my, well... condition. And the more I would appreciate it, if none of us would loose a word about what happened yesterday, ok?" He feels she shouldn't thank him as he was fighting very hard against his desire to...

"Agreed... Apropos speaking of agreements... Why are you looking so afflicted, Lt. Colonel?" She knows that she cannot talk to him like to any other soldier anymore because he has seen her in her most miserable state.

"My father made an agreement with Ishimura to send me to a special unit." She passes the telegram over to him. He scans it fast.

"Investigation of abnormal occurrences? What does that mean?" She sighs and takes back the wire.

"That means as much as that I'm out of business. There are no abnormal occurrences happening in China or Nippon, beside of old women seeing dead celebrities talking to them through their pets!" He scratches the back of his head, pondering deeply.

"Well but it says in two years! Who knows what happens until then? And if you get bored... well some bottles of wine and you're happy!" She kicks against his shin, making him howl.

"Don't skit Seamy-Gee!" He growls at her, holding his aching leg.

"Ouch! I told you, please. It's Seiji, Lt. Colonel Kawashima!" His ouch was quite a bit to loud for her migraine and she already regrets to have him kicked as he has done many favours to her by now.

"Ok, I won't call you Seamy-Gee again, under the stipulation that you will never use that other name when I'm in the room, you know, the one I think to be batty! And if you'll use it, I'm allowed to slap you!" He sighs, a rather pleasurable condition to get rid of that idiotic moniker.

"You really don't like my name, do you? Ok, Masaji from now on..."

o-

KNOCK KNOCK

"Lieutenant Colonel Kato, are you in there?" The voice of the young rookie sounds through Kato's cabin door.

"Yes, of course. Enter, Recruit Ueda." He closes the book and rubs his eyes; they're burning slightly for he had read a lot in the last few days.

"Lt. Colonel, I just wanted to inform you, that land is in sight. We should arrive the port in about twelve hours." Kato nods and a smile flashes over his face. Home sweet home. He thinks but rather in a sarcastic way.

"Thank you, Ueda. Call me when a ship of the coastguard appears." He skims over his nape; it's fairly stiff from the reading.

The young woman salutes. "Aye, Sir!"

She's already out the door when he calls for her again. She plugs her head into the room.

"You've called me, Lt. Colonel Kato?" He isn't quite sure why, but yes he did. He nods and a disgusting cracking noise sounds through his spine.

"Uh... ow...Damn! Ok, err. Tell me, where's you're unit ordered to?" She takes a step inside as he still grinds his teeth because of the soreness.

"Sir, my unit is still in Shanghai, Sir! I was ordered back because of my abilities. My order will be to play the bodyguard for a scientist in the Hojo research lab, Lt. Colonel Kato." She salutes and regards him thoughtful.

"May I suggest something Lt. Colonel?" He looks at her, nods and regrets this movement immediately.

"If you'd lay a hot towel onto your nape the aching will soon improve, Sir." Astonished he looks at her. She's very attentive... well it was hard to miss... though it's kind of her.

"Thanks for the good advice, Ueda. You may leave now."

Actually it's damn hot, but she was right. Kato sighs in relief and vows to himself to never read or write that long without an intermission, again.

He chooses to lay down and give a little rest to his neck. What a terrible way to start a new job.

o-

"Sergeant Seiji M. Kato?" There's a man with a clipboard standing in front of several soldiers.

"Here, Sir!" One of them takes a step forward and salutes.

"Very well! You are ordered to a special unit in Shanghai, Sergeant. Investigation of abnormal occurrences, you will be leaded by Lieutenant Colonel Kawashima. Ship to Shanghai leaves the port at 18 hundred. You will receive further instructions in the Shanghai headquarter. Break the ranks." The man looks for the next on his list, but the sergeant still stands there.

Lt. Colonel... Lt. Colonel Kawashima... Yoshiko? He thinks and wonders.

"Sir, am I allowed to ask a question?" The man looks up from his clipboard to the soldier.

"No, Sergeant Kato, I do not know why they have chosen a milksop like you! Or can you tell me at least one ability of yours that would predestine you for it?" Well... he does know something, but... that is not even known by the military, so he shakes his head and leaves the group.

Kato is waiting in front of an office door for his new superior is in a meeting. Then a cowardly looking man leaves the room. Shortly afterwards a woman's voice, that sounds familiar in Kato's ears, calls out.

"... Somebody! At once!" Two riflemen run to her passing Kato, he decides to join them.

"Yes, Lt. Colonel!" A large, well-lit office with a wooden desk and two Japanese flags at its sides. The three of them salute in front of their Lt. Colonel. She hasn't changed very much, he detects.

"Hmm? I've never seen you before. Are you new?" It hits him like lightning inside his heart. She doesn't recognise him. She doesn't remember him! In his mind a whole world is collapsing. He hardly tries not to show it.

"I... I'm Sergeant Kato, ma'am! Reporting from Tokyo for my new post! My... my expertise is..." She's interrupting him roughly.

"I'm sorry, but could you leave the self-introductions for later? We don't have time for this now." She turns to the two riflemen and instructs them.

"I want you two to dispose of the man who just left this room. Make it look like a traffic accident." The soldiers salute with a "Yes, Lt. Colonel" and both leave the office.

Kato just gapes after them.

"Wh... Wha..." Kawashima ignores his unbelieving, slightly reproachful look.

"Sergeant Kato, you're coming to Dalian with me. Get a boat ready." He closes his mouth and realises that she has spoken to him.

"A... boat, ma'am?" She just shrugs, while he still is disenchanted by the fact that she does not remember him.

"I don't care what kind. Any old thing will do. Do you understand? If so, we leave now. Follow me!" She indeed leaves the room, letting him stand there absent-minded.

"Ah! Lt. Colonel! Please, wait!" He runs after her.

They have barely left the headquarter when CLAP, he has some sort of déjà-vu. Perplexed he looks at her.

"Ow... Lt. Colonel, sorry, but... How did I deserve that?" He rubs his burning cheek, yes he had that moment once already.

"I thought you introduced yourself as Sergeant Seiji Kato." He resolutely shakes his head to deny it.

"I didn't... I would never..."She slightly blushes because of her mistake, though he still doesn't know why she slapped him.

"Sorry, than I owe you something, Seamy-Gee!" She walks on, he follows her but suddenly he stops. Understanding arises in his eyes.

"Wait a moment..." She notices that he's not following and turns round.

"What?" He closes his eyes and smiling opens them again.

"You DO remember me!" Kawashima starts laughing and walks back to him.

"I never forget people whom I vomited at, even though you're the first one." He isn't quite sure whether he should take it as a compliment or not.

"It's been a long time, about seven years and you barely have changed, Lt. Colonel." He's happy now, she did remember him! If this is no sign, what else could be one?

"The same for you beside of those hair-strands you seemed to have cut down. Good old Kato!" He's skimming his hair back and ponders about the last ten minutes, something there's worrying him.

"But then, why have you been so... so... You know what I mean!" She gestures him to follow her and explains the situation.

"You probably didn't notice, but these two soldiers had been killers! The second thing is, as you've said yourself, Masaji, I'm a Lt. Colonel, you are a little Sergeant. We should finally keep the formality. Where's our military going to, when high officers have a close friendship with little sergeants?" She walks on, very fast now as if she wants to avoid a comprehensive discussion.

"..." Kato plugs his hands into his pockets and follows her. Still wondering what to think about this reaction.

A large, well-lit office with a wooden desk and two Japanese flags at its sides. The three of them salute in front of their Lt. Colonel. She hasn't changed very much, he detects. 

o-

"Welcome back in Nippon, Lt. Colonel Kato. I will bring you directly to Minister Ishimura now." Kato raises his hand to stop him, he's looking for someone.

"Lt. Colonel Kato! Lt. Colonel Kato!" The young rookie runs to him and stops breathless in front of him.

"Recruit Ueda? What do you want?" He looks down at the young woman with the reddened face.

"I just wanted to... gosh... say good-bye to you, Sir. And maybe wish you a more interesting job than mine." Something's stinging slightly inside him as she smiles at the tall black-haired man.

"Well, good-bye, Recruit. Oh before I'll forget it. Let me give you an advices now. If you want to be a good soldier, calm yourself down a bit!" He smiles faintly and follows the other man to the car.

Ueda meanwhile shoulders her backpack and heads for the other direction, the Hojo research lab, hoping that she will meet her idol once again some day.

end of chapter two -

to be continued- **

* * *

Note: Now you can review this chapter. I wonder if you'll try to hit me for the drunken Kawashima...?**

Note2: I'm still searching for a better Japanese girl's forename starting with U. If someone could help me please?

Oh and all of you can take a guess why I used "write" in this sentence though he did not write something: "Kato sighs in relief and vows to himself to never read or write that long without an intermission, again." '


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

**Note: Please do NOT I repeat do NOT REVIEW this chapter until I've FINISHED it.**

"The Minister is already awaiting you, Lt. Colonel." Kato nods and takes the steps up to where he was supposed to go to. In front of a large hardwood door stands an officer that barricades it and he seems not willing to let him pass.

"Wait a moment, Sir. I need your name and rank or I can not let you see the Minister." The officer presses his arm against the door, but obviously he has a lot of respect of that large black-haired guy in the navy- blue uniform.

"Seiji M. Kato. Sergeant... No, Lieutenant Colonel." Saying his name makes him shiver slightly, in the last year with her he learned to dislike his forename himself.

The officer is apparently remembering that he had heard that name. So he leads Kato into the room to Minister Ishimura. It's a larger office with a dark green canapé beyond a window. On it a care-worn man in uniform with greyish hair, Kato supposes him to be the Minister. But he's not alone. Another man with grey streaks in his hair and some sort of white smock is talking to the Minister.

"Ah you must be Kato!" Ishimura glances along the other man and welcomes his new soldier. Kato nods, salutes and submissive walks over to the men.

"He doesn't look like he will be useful for your project, Minister." Kato stands directly next to the other man and looks down upon him, he doesn't know why, but he has a certain aversion for him.

"Well, Hojo, Special Agent Kato is indeed very useful for us. He has a lot of experience with magic and a good knowledge of technologies. Don't you, Kato?" He nods, yet somehow confused. Of course he was in the first row when Dehuai started the Reverse Demon's Gate Invocation to summon the seraphic radiance. And it was magnificent in its awfulness, but... one couldn't call it a personal practice. And there's something else, too...

"Special Agent...? Minister?" Ishimura looks up to him and slimy smiles.

"Ah yes, Kato. You recently have been promoted. For I want you, Special Agent Kato, to create a team of powerful, intelligent and supernatural human weapons, to help your mother country to defeat the mainland!" There it was. Ishimura's great plan and he, Kato, would become accountable for the death of thousands... But does he even has a choice?

"By the way, this is Doctor Hojo, from the Hojo research lab. You will execute your order by the help of him and the other scientists." Doctor Hojo? Maybe that guy is the important scientist Ueda will have to guard...

"Yes Minister, but I still don't understand how..." He is interrupted by Hojo who points at his watch to express that he's in a hurry.

"Special Agent Kato, Minister Ishimura, would you excuse me? I am needed in the laboratory." The minister gestures him that he may leave, now he's alone with Kato.

"So, now, please give me a sample of your special skill, Kato!" He does not know what Ishimura means. What's going on there?

"I'm sorry Minister, I don't understand." Ishimura laughs he obviously thinks Kato is kidding him.

"Please, Kato do not annoy me! You know perfectly well what I mean!" No he doesn't and slowly he's beginning to feel quite uncomfortable. How shall he explain it?

"No he does not know it, Minister. I can see it in his eyes." Kato turns around his own axis but no one else is in the room, at least he can't see someone.

"Who said that?" He mumbles to himself, this house seemed strange from the outside already.

"I did, infidel." The tall black haired man flinches.

"Whoah! You scared the light out of me!" In front of him a creature appeared, a little man in green garb, with a white face, hovering on a pillow.

"But Garan, I remember it as if it was yesterday! He said the boy had obtained some of his powers!" The thing called Garan, introduces itself as the oracle and then hovers over to the Minister.

"Yes, yes that's right, Minister. I can feel it inside of him, but he does not know how to use these powers. He has never tried... " Garan hovers back to Kato, who keeps an eye upon the oracle. He doesn't trust this strange figure.

"He has forgotten or rather substituted it. But don't worry, Minister. I will make him remember." Kato's eyes still follow the hovering guy, not knowing what the two are talking about. How much he attempts to, he cannot look away from the oracles eyes. And he feels as if this guy would creep into his soul through his eyes...

"Keep on looking at me, Kato. Like that. Yes right." There are black points beginning to flicker in front of Kato's eyes, he's getting more and more dazed. Murky vapour darkens his sight...---

_"Father please! I don't want to!" A boy is dragged over a dusty pathway by obviously his father._

_"Don't be childish! It is a necessary tradition!" He slaps the boy with the short black hair._

_"I don't want to, I'm afraid of it..." The man takes his son at his shoulders and shakes him rapidly._

_"It is necessary that the oldest son of our family offers his blood to the God of harvest at his thirteenth birthday! Do you want your siblings to starve!" The boy desperately begins to cry, making his father even more furious._

_"No, father, but I..."_

Kato groans, his head is slightly aching and he feels a bit sick, too.

"Where... are we? Huh?" He looks around this place seems so familiar to him.

"Can't you remember that? Well then just follow the action." Garan again appeared next to him, letting him startle.

_"I told you! Don't be such a weakling! You're going to become a man this evening! He pushes the boy forward. They come across a squad of young men in military uniforms, none of them takes care of the struggling, just one turns his head after them. The man keeps on shoving his son forward until they reach a large plain with a group of people surrounding some sort of stone arrangement, like a huge table. The sun already sets, the sky turns ruby, all the people are awaiting the boy and his father. There are smaller children, too, women with candles and a man in a yellowish green cassock, carrying a ceremonial dagger on a crimson pillow. A small girl hangs a ribbon of flowers around the boys neck, he's laid onto the stone altar now, his hands placed over two carved cavities. The priest passes the dagger to the boy's father, he lays his left hand onto his son's chest._

_"Oh great and almighty God of harvest, please accept this willingly offering, and donate us a further year of wealth and flourishing. Take this blood and give us rain for that." He carefully lances the boys wrists, the child wails as the blood begins to stream into the sinks. _

"Ouch that must be terrible pain..." Kato rubs his own wrists as if he could feel the hurt.

"How can intelligent people do that to a child!" He shakes his head in disbelief, but Garan does not answer.

_"Just some minutes more, son." The man whispers to the boy, his face is slowly turning white. Whether it's from the shock or the anaemia is not clearly to say._

_"I'm...feeling so... cold... daddy..." His voice is barely audible, fear and death in his brown eyes, cold sweat on his forehead._

_"Some minutes, it's not enough blood, yet!" The man has no mercy with the suffering child, not even as a woman demands him to save it from this ceremony. She lays her hand onto his shoulder and whispers._

_"Please he's our son! You're killing him!" But the man wishes her hand away, if he has to sacrifice one of his sons to save the others, he will not hesitate. The boy cries out for his mother and begins to squirm he tries to get away from that stone, but his father presses him onto it with all his strength. The boy is heavy breathing now, tears flow down his wan cheeks, his hands shiver his body trembles. His mother begins to cry too, she falls onto her knees and suddenly it's getting darker around the group. The people turn round and behold a black shadow covering the sunset, it's the shape of a tall winged creature, they call out:_

_"The God of harvest has granted our prayers!" But when it flies towards them, the people crouch and squat in fear. It lands directly on the stone altar, the boy has problems to lift his head, he catches a glimpse of the figure._

_"...God of... death..." His breath fades and he faints..._

Slightly bewildered Kato watches the spectacle as the God or whatever it may be takes up the boy, unfolds it wings and flies away with the child. He can't understand how the boy's father and most of the other peoples can stay so calm. The scenery seems to change, everything is black and then he opens his eyes...

_No the boy opens his eyes, Kato is watching the action with Garan through the boys eyes now. He stares into the face of the creature, and it blows some sort of black vapour into his mouth, the boy is scared, he faints again... Then he is shaken a frightful voice shouts at the him._

_"Don't die on me! You won't die on me! Got that?" The strange thing is that with the last words the voice became almost human. The boy opens his eyes again, now he looks into the face of a young man with short brown hair and eyes that look somehow red? But the man doesn't look at the boy, he looks down onto the boys wrists which he has in his hands. They stopped bleeding, they even already begin to heal..._

_"You really scared me pal! I thought you would die!" The boy sits up and carefully glances around. _

_"Where... where's the God of death?" The man seems to be a bit surprised, then he starts laughing._

**Note: Please do NOT I repeat do NOT REVIEW this chapter until I've FINISHED it.**

**I've just allready uploaded it incase of my PC will crash as he likes to do in the last few days, generally deleting stuff that is not older than exactly three month**


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